Fishing gear described in the prior art includes hooksetting devices, fish-actuated signals used in through-ice fishing and numerous pole holders and actuators. These structures generally require some sort of spring mechanism, either as a principal source of energy or as auxiliary triggering element. One well known and widely used fish catcher functions in a manner similar to that of a common window shade roller, the stored energy of a spring being released by a jerky movement of an associated line.
Except for certain hook-setting devices, which are not intended or suitable for lifting a hooked fish automatically from a submerged position in water, relatively few weight-actuated fish catchers appear in the prior art, and none are believed available in which elements of an embodied mounting bracket also function as elements of the fish catching mechanism.